The Last of Us
by BreakInCaseOfEmergency
Summary: After the destruction of Chicago, and the death of Megatron and Starscream the Decepticons are scattered. Thundercracker and Skywarp find themselves imprisoned within Lockdown's ship, alongside the last Decepticon occupying Cybertron. The arrival of a pile of scrap is hardly unusual, until they see the tip of a tell-tale wing. AU MovieVerse set just before AOE.
1. Chapter 1

_**This is an AU Transformers fanfiction, based in the MovieVerse. I am going to be differing a lot from the film series in this fanfic, I hope that you enjoy it, but if it isn't for you I understand. **_

_**I WILL ONLY BE CONTINUING IF THE STORY GETS A GOOD RESPONSE, otherwise it'll stay as a concept alone, so please if you want more r**__**eview, follow and favourite. That being said, I do not own Transformers, only my OC character. ENJOY! :3**_

The simple bliss of nothing.

It seems much more wonderful than others make it seem. The ability to simply do, and be, nothing. What worries can you carry, what burdens or responsibilities? True there seems to be very little positive experience to be gained from living in such a state. It is so unusual for his spark to be so at peace and the absence of everything, even the good aspects of function are things that he is all too happy to sacrifice if only he can stay this way. The afterlife will be more than he ever expected if this is the extent of it.

After so many long days, or is it years? The sound of humming, albeit faint sounds like a rattling drum in his audio receptors. It unnerves him. What could this sound be, what is making it, and why? The effort of thought begins to creep back into his CPU, it was previously redundant and its return could only be brought on by one thing.

Immediately his responses conflict. Does he want to leave, isn't it simply easier to stay in this state, where there is no pain, no humiliation or servitude? To stay though, would seem cowardly, to run away from what is happening is basically a desire to keep himself as he is. Content to be simply nothing. That is not who he is. Always he strives to make himself better, to prove himself the stronger, the more intelligent! This is impossible if he does not have the courage to emerge and face whatever challenges lay in wait.

The drumming grows louder, and louder until it is a thunderous roar his sensors cannot drown away. It makes him want to howl, to pound his servos against anything he can reach to try and halt the source of the sound. A low vibration now begins, rumbling through his being. Almost shocking him with sensation after so long being deprived of it. This, like the drumming, builds until it seems to be shaking him apart at the seams.

A loud scream floods his audio equipment and he finds the stimulation of his sensors all too much after the extended period of depravation. Without warning, the newly rebooted systems crash, sending the mech into another round of unconsciousness – even such an essential stimuli after all this time seemingly too much for him to handle.

Bright, eager optics watch from the nearby cages, three neatly clustered together around the large tablet in the center of the room. For so long they have been waiting for their comrade to be resurrected, and the time is finally upon them.

Each in a separate cage, the three captives stand as close to the bars as their restraints will allow. The two mechs straining at them even now to try and reach their fallen brother – who they never thought they would see again. It is almost bitter sweet the way in which his life is being restored, only for him to be confined in this space for the rest of his days, or until Lockdown decides he is too bored and removes them for his amusement.

Watching the mercenaries working on their comrade proves to be a torturous experience for the trio, every wince and moan of pain seems to make their tensions run to new heights. True though it is that what Lockdown has ordered is painful for him, in the end it will ultimately only lead to more good than bad. He will be restored, and back among them to help them eventually escape. If such a thing is even possible.

Hearing one of the mechs curse, and struggle against his bonds once more makes the situation even worse. Something has to be done to keep the situation at hand, but what? Will anything that can be said even sway the emotions that the two mechs must be feeling right now? Regardless of the effectiveness, it has to be tried.

"Thundercracker. You need to calm down. Everything is going well." A soft voice sounds from the middle cell. The only femme on the ship, a Decepticon by the name of Shocklock, steps up to try and calm her fellow team mates. Their aggravation will only lead to a confrontation with their captor, and right now, with their comrade's resurrection imminent that is not what they need.

"He is in pain!" Thundercracker rages, straining against his bonds still, the tremor in his transmission only making his anguish all the clearer.

"This pain is only a prelude to new life, you want your trine back together do you not? Well this is a procedure required for that to happen." She continues, despite her own upset at the sight they are witnessing, her bond is not as strong as theirs to the mech laying on the slab in front of them.

"We need to help him. I need to help him." He hisses, the gestures and expressions he makes a mystery to all but himself and the mercenaries outside of his cage. For this reason alone, he holds back the distress from his facial plates, he will not give them the satisfaction of seeing what their actions are doing to him.

"Look…" a quiet voice whispers, the third member of their party since his capture has been almost silent. Much to the distress of Thundercracker. The normally teasing and joking Skywarp has barely spoken, except to reassure his team-mates when asked that he is functioning in an acceptable manner.

Attention now locks back onto the reassembled body on the table, for a brief moment the air stops circulating in Shocklock's vents as she sees a faint light coming from the spark chamber visible through the open chest plates. The light grows stronger, and stronger with each passing second and the hope within the three captives grows much in the same way. In truth Thundercracker feared that such a thing could even be done, or that his friend will be brought back but merely a sparkles shell of his former self. The pure blue light only shows how wrong he is about that assumption.

Skywarp gasps in surprise as the chest plates loudly slide back into place, closing securely against any outside influence. His trine mate is going to be coming back online any second now, and then, he knew that they will be able to escape. He always had better ideas than Thundercracker and himself combined, so he has faith that he can think of something to get all four of them off this nightmare ship.

A last red optic flickers into life, then another. Visual sensors taking in information for the first time in many months, processing them a little slower than usual but processing none the less. He is strapped down to some sort of metal workbench, those working on him are not any bot that he recognises and from the green optics, they are certainly no Decepticons either. Faintly he struggles against the strong bonds holding him down, until he realises it futile and simply takes in the surroundings, logging all data he can in case it somehow becomes useful later on. There is no doubt in his processors that he has somehow been captured, yet, what is unclear is why. Or why his captors had decided to restart his systems like this.

Whoever it is clearly wants them alive. That, is something very useful to know indeed.

Without much ceremony his restraints are removed, yet his body still too groggy and unresponsive to effectively dispatch his captors as they drag him towards the sides of the room. Growling, he bucks against their hold, digging his heeled pedes into the metal floor in an attempt to make their transport of them harder. Just because he is more than aware he cannot stop them does not mean that he intends to make their job any easier after all. His sensitive body is thrown, wings first into one of the cells making him cry out as the pain is triple what it would usually feel to his boggled sensors.

The metallic grinding noise signals not only the doors to the cell being closed, but the attachment of restraints to the seekers pedes. He isn't going anywhere, anytime soon with the strength of these binds. Cursing, and aiming a strong punch at the wall of the cell, he barely has time to notice that there is another being inside of the prison with him. His sensors only detect them, when they engage in audio with him for the first time.

"Starscream?"

Eyes narrow he turns from scowling at the wall and almost shrieks at the bot to shut the frag up, when he recognises her. Clenching a servo, Starscream cannot help but wish to punch the wall again in his anger. How can she be here? What is a more accurate question perhaps is, what events have come to pass to bring her here?

"Shocklock." He murmurs.

"It is good to see you again Starscream. There are some pleasant things to come out of our imprisonment here…for that I thank Primus." She whispers, her quiet tones are greatly accepted as he still adjusts to picking up transmissions again.

Starscream grits his dental plates, grinding them together in anger in humiliation. Not only has he been captured like a common ground mech, but he has failed in one of the most important tasks he has charged himself with! After the demise of Megatron, he took up the mantle of the leader of the Decepticons and he swore that he would ensure the safety of any femmes in the cause. That includes Shocklock. Here she sits, her optics a dull cranberry and she seems all too ready to care for him. What of her? Stuck as a prisoner, at the mercy of a ship full of mechs, without anyone to protect her. He is a failure! Nothing but a failure as a leader.

"Have you been treated respectfully?" Starscream asks, his normally high pitched whining tone, rather low and laced with malice.

Shocklock evades his query, knowing that she can inform him of what has happened on Cybertron later on and that he does not need to know what has happened on board the ship. If he does wish to know later on, there is always time to inform him. Time is one thing that they are not short upon being incarcerated, seemingly together.

"Answer my question femme!" Starscream shrieks, slamming his open servo against the heavy metal of the cell. Her silence enrages him further, taking it as a confirmation that what his processors are assuming, is correct. If the captors have violated the only Decepticon femme in their possession, he will send them to Primus without a second thought. His murderous internal monologue is interrupted unexpectedly, only furthering the anger coursing through his systems.

"Starscream!" Thundercracker shouts from his cell to the left, thumping his hand on the wall to attract his attention, "You piece of slag, leaving us alone like that. You should have brought us with you to Earth when you returned, not send us off on some fragging energon mission!"

"Thundercracker, is Skywarp here with you?" he asks, optics glinting as a smirk crawls onto his lip plates. The trine could be back together again, and if that is the case, escaping from this frag hole might not be as hard as he thought initially. His good mood even allows the insults his inferior threw his way to slip past without reprimand. Despite not knowing for sure that his 'Lord' is offlined, Starscream can take a pretty good guess at the outcome of the battle in the human city of Chicago.

"Brother you are a sight for sore optics!" Skywarp chirps up, his tone is already lifted and it does Shocklock and Thundercracker good to hear that, raising their already boosted morale further.

A devious flicker crosses Starscream's optics, and Shocklock cannot help but smirk. That is a look she has been very much hoping to see. It means that he has an idea, that might spring them from this trap of theirs. It might take a long time, and it may put them in danger but it will be worth it to escape from this prison, and continue the work of the Decepticon cause. Megatron might be dead, and their sparklings aborting but there are still Decepticons fighting the fight. With a good leader, they could still strike back against the humans. Show the insignificant beings the error of their ways for being so…irritating.

|Internal communication link, Skywarp, Thundercracker.| Starscream demands, keeping this communication secret from Shocklock. It concerns her welfare after all, something she seems keen to keep from him.

|Screamer, you have no idea how worried we were…when your communication link died we knew the worst had happened.| Skywarp buzzes in, his nickname sending a shudder of annoyance through Starscream's systems which he fights to ignore.

|What happened?| The question from Thundercracker is plain, simple, and it brings up the humiliation that he has just been successful in quashing. To have been defeated by fleshlings! Such puny weak creatures brings shame to his rank, and to his fellow trine members. They can sense his discomfort through their bond, weak though it might be, and gratefully Thundercracker diverts the conversation. |Do you have a plan, Starscream?|

|Not yet, I am working on one as we speak but I need some more intellect. You must tell me everything that you know about our situation. Fill me in on the detail.|

|We were kidnapped while on our way back to Cybertron, we were able to scavenge a good amount of energon. Shocklock had already been captured when we were brought on board the ship.| Thundercracker informs.

|She was taken from Cybertron, she told me. They had come looking for Megatron, but took her when they could not find him. Then he took us too.| Skywarp adds, a tint of shame flavours his next statement, his head bent against his chassis as he remembers the way Shocklock looked when they were first imprisoned alongside her. It had been obvious that Lockdown had been less than gentle in his capture, and it angers him still.

|Who is this, he?| Starscream inquires, his voice returning to its normal high pitched state.

|Lockdown is who has captured us. Who he is working for, we do not yet know.| Thundercracker replies, glad of the internal communications link, it draws no attention from the guards and for discussing things like this, it is almost invaluable. Of course, the reason why it is not currently a four way conversation seems to be quite obvious. Starscream is worried about Shocklock. If it isn't so inappropriate at this moment in time, he would have found his concern endearing. A step back in the right direction for the second in command.

|That slagging mercenary, I should have known he would get himself mixed up in this somehow.| Starscream growls.

The radio silence that falls after his statement only confirms what Thundercracker assumed, that Starscream had opened the discussion to at some point, ask about the femme in his cell. Yet he seems almost hesitant to do so. Rolling his optics, he cannot believe some times the childishness that his fellow trine mate portrays when it comes to emotions.

|While we have been here, we have not witnessed any maltreatment of Shocklock. Before our arrival, we do not know. But perhaps this is not the time to be worried about matters such as th-|

|Silence Thundercracker! I placed her under my protection on Cybertron, and I intend to ensure that she stays protected, any harm done to her only reflects badly on my own reputation. Do not think that it is because of any _feelings_ I have.| Starscream scoffs, but even as he coms that thought, his optics are locked onto her, assessing her form for damage.

|What is that fleshling melody, TC?| Skywarp teases, and despite the trouble it will cause, Thundercracker allows him to continue, just glad he seems to be gradually coming back to his normal playful self |Shocklock and Starscream, kissing in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a sparkling in a-|

|SILENCE!| Starscream screeches down the communications link, before severing it completely, leaving Skywarp chuckling to himself in the adjacent cell. It is good to see that after all that has happened, his trine mate is just as easy to wind up as he has always been and has not lost that trademark shriek of his.

With a soft exhale of air through his vents, Skywarp relaxes in his binds slightly, limbs sagging inside of remaining poker straight. Ignoring the screaming pain in his joints from such an action, releasing himself after remaining so tense for such a long amount of time, he can't help but chuckle to himself quietly.

Even the sound of Starscream having a small tantrum in the cell next to him only makes his laugh grow louder, his lip plates curling up into a smile for the first time in several months. Things have happened today that he didn't even know were possible, his brother is back from the dead, and not only that, he is formulating a plan to get them all out of this Primus forsaken prison. The things that they all have heard screaming and crying out in the dark are bad enough, but, being kept in a box for so long is driving Skywarp crazy.

Yet for the first time in a long time, he feels as if there is hope for them to return to Cybertron, or even return to earth. Hope that they could be anywhere but here.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Thank you for your kind reviews on my first chapter! I am going to be continuing both my Transformers fics for now seeing as they were so close in terms of feedback :D**_

_**I do not own Transformers, only my OC characters. Please enjoy the chapter and keep leaving favourites, follows and reviews for updates and such :D**_

Starscream wakes to the sensation of swaying movement. He had been enjoying a light recharge, Primus knows that the endless talking from Skywarp last night over the internal communications link had prevented him from enjoying a full rest as he would have preferred. Nevertheless, he can no longer pretend to be offline to the world when Lockdown's ship suddenly lurches – jolting all of them in their binds as it does so. This is really the first movement in a long while, which makes Thundercracker frown softly.

If they are moving somewhere then there must be a purpose to it.

From what his sensors have been telling him, they are in some sort of cold region of Earth and have been for some time. Logically, the only place they could be going is back into space. Unless, unless they are going somewhere else on Earth, but why would Lockdown want to go to through all the trouble to move this large ship only to land at another destination on this rock? He could simply transform into his alternative mode and drive there, or take a smaller mode of transportation. A frown still marring his facial plating, he keys into the communications link between the other three Decepticons.

|Internal communications link; Shocklock, Skywarp, Starscream. Theories on the movement of the prison ship.|

|Shocklock reporting. Perhaps the ship is being relocated to return to Cybertron, or point of origin.|

|Skywarp here. I agree, why else would Lockdown be bothered to move this slagging massive ship. He's got to be returning to somewhere.|

Starscream can see the confusion written in Shocklock's facial plating, which prompts him to figure out the situation even swifter. To come up with the correct speculation before his fellow trine members, after all, it wouldn't do to have them upstaging their leader. Even if they didn't quite recognise him as their leader yet.

Moving to some new destination in space would make sense, if they had not been stopped on Earth for so long without anything else notable happening. He has been active again for a few days, so surely they would have begun their journey after he had awoken, or even when his remains were brought upon the ship. So there must be something else on this rock that has drawn his attention. If he's capturing Cybertonian's then perhaps there are others here? That's the worst thing that could happen, being trapped in here with someone as insufferable as Soundwave who will no doubt try and take over! Or…Primus forbid. His brothers having to share a cell with some Autobot scum.

|I disagree.| Starscream com's in |There might be other targets on this planet that Lockdown wishes to get before departing. The movement of this ship could be to capture those targets and imprison them like us.|

|Why would he move the entire ship though? A smaller vessel would do for transporting prisoners.| Thundercracker scoffs, rolling his optics while Starscream would be unable to see him do so.

|Unless the prisoner is superior to the slag eating weaklings he's captured before. If I were online at the time I suspect the prison ship would have been moved to capture myself.| Starscream states smugly.

At this moment in time, Shocklock half wants to punch Starscream in the face for such a statement. He has no idea how hard she fought to keep the Decepticon base on Cybertron before she was captured by Lockdown, yet here he is assuming that he would have done so much better than her if he was in the same situation. Confidence in a leader is appealing, but pig headedness is not. If she was not certain that Skywarp and Thundercracker will back Starscream for leader then she would put herself forwards for the task. As it is, she sees little point, trying to let her anger drain out of her circuits. It is no use to harbour something like that when they need to be working together to cope with this situation.

It does make her feel slightly content to see him getting back to normal, the first day he was resurrected…well his actions were more than a little unnerving. The jibes, and the superiority complex are signs that he is returning to normal.

|Who could be left on Earth that would be someone that badass?| Skywarp asks, screwing his face up in confusion |Megatron was offlined ages ago, unless…he's going to get the scrap parts of Megatron to resurrect him too?|

His suggestion, although it makes sense, enrages Starscream. No! It's simply not fair! He finally has his chance to be the true uncontested leader of the Decepticons and this fragger Lockdown might be going to get the remains of the former commander? No no no! Growling in unhappiness - which Shocklock picks up, her optics widening in surprise- Starscream grinds his teeth together filling the cell with sounds of screeching metal.

|Impossible. I would suggest Lockdown is targeting Autobot survivors. Bumblebee or maybe even Prime.|Starscream emits through the internal link, his anger still coming across through his tone making Thundercracker want to slap himself hard with his own servo. Skywarp would have to say something like that and place his pede in it, now Starscream is going to be in a foul mood for the rest of the day. He doesn't envy Shocklock at all.

|Screamer…you know I didn't-| Skywarp tries to salvage the situation with an apology, but finds that the communications link with his moody trine leader cut off swiftly. Evidently he doesn't want to hear it. Sighing softly Skywarp resigns himself to more silence, they couldn't use their internal coms too often in case the guards figured it out and placed them further apart from each other.

Shocklock can't help but let an amused sounding puff of air escape from her vents, looking at Starscream so obviously wanting to cross his arms in a huff, but being unable to because of his restraints makes her smile gently. It feels good to have this kind of interaction, it keeps her spirits up and she knows it must have the same effect on the rest of the guys. It seems that Starscream senses her optics locking onto his frame and turns his head towards her, red optics blazing with an emotion she can only guess at.

Is it irritation? Shame? Anxiety?

"What?" he snaps childishly, but she doesn't take it too much to heart.

"Are you worried?" Shocklock asks gently, keeping her voice down so that the guards, but also his trine mates couldn't quite hear what they are saying. Starscream is a proud mech, and is unlikely to share his emotions with her, even if she keeps her audio outputs down to a minimum.

"Worried, about what? That overgrown sparkling being brought back online?" he dismisses the notion with a cruel chuckle "Nobody will follow him now even if he is brought back. Which he is not going to be."

"You seem very sure about that. I can't speak for myself, but any forces left out there might follow his lead once more. If Lockdown is bringing Megatron's remains on board the ship then you should be prepared for that." She advises.

If Starscream does not take up command of the three fellow captives, then Megatron will just assume command again if it is him that is being brought aboard. A part of her feels as if it doesn't matter who leads the cause, but, it could very well make a difference in the long term events. The difference between: following a leader hell bent on destroying Optimus Prime, no matter what the casualties, or consequences; or following a leader who might actually listen to reason, and be interested in cultivating other assets and goals; is quite a large one.

"Of course I know it!" Starscream bellows, shocking the femme with the sheer anger in his tone "That fool is responsible for the decimation of not only the Autobots, but of Decepticons. Almost our entire race is gone, and each time I offered solutions to try and repopulate they were left aside to pursue his own selfish need for revenge."

The concern that Starscream portrays in his words, even if not his tone, for the survival of the Cybertonian race warms Shocklock's spark. She knew that there might be something different if Starscream were to ever lead their cause, right now, they needed to focus on rebuilding and repopulating. The destruction and war could be put on hold for as long as they had to. Even the Autobots will respect their efforts, and might even join them for a cease fire for a short time. Of course, Shocklock still believes in the cause with her whole spark, but, her processors are not blind with the sheer desperation to dominate and crush the opposition. Not when there are more important things to be done.

"If we ever are free from this prison ship, is that what you wish to focus on?" she asks softly, casting her servers back to the days Starscream had lived on Cybertron with her for a short amount of time. Together they had worked to try and keep the new sparklings alive, but without energon it was fruitless. The only reason she saw sense in Megatron's plan to harvest the sun in Earth's solar system, was because they would receive more energon for the sparklings because of the action.

"You know it is." He murmurs, turning his optics away from her. Starscream feels exposed, and it isn't something that he enjoys. Gritting his teeth again, he can't help but wish that he has anyone as a cell mate but Shocklock. Not because he does not enjoy her company, but because the femme seems to get underneath his wiring. He does not wish to seem emotional, or attached but even her loose questioning gets him to bare the truth of his processing. Only afterwards does he feel embarrassed that she has gotten him to say the things that he had been wanting to keep a secret. One of those things is the desire to see Cybertonian sparklings once again, it has been a very long while since he has seen one at all…never mind entertaining the possibility of having one himself. Maybe, if they ever get off this ship, it might be a possibility.

"Then, let me formally offer my support of your leadership of the Decepticon cause." She whispers gently, with a reassuring smile on her lip plates "In light of the possible development coming on board. I know your brothers will support you too." Shocklock nods her head to the cells on either side of them, and the mechs that she knows are probably straining their receptors to hear what they're talking about at the moment.

Not trusting himself to say something he is going to regret, Starscream merely huffs and keeps his chin held high in the opposite direction to the femme. The support, from her, makes his spark hum gently in his chest. It means something to him that a bot who isn't so closely bonded to him would support him purely on policy alone – not on the dominant strength that he has. It makes him proud, and gives him strength. If Lockdown is bringing that fragger on board, then he is ready for him, and he had best be ready for Starscream – the new leader of the Decepticon faction!

"Took you long enough." He states simply, tone haughty, and this time not revealing his true emotion.

"Apologies." Shocklock chuckles, shaking her head lightly before she rests it against the cold metal of the cell wall.

Although faint, Thundercracker can hear murmurings from Starscream and Shocklock, and he sighs softly. Secretly he is glad that the seeker has been put in her cell. Under the boot of Megatron he had become something different to the mech who they used to fly with, hopefully though, she will be able to make him something like his old self again even if it takes an eon to do so. He will be grateful, in debt even, if she could. Both of the seekers had missed Starscream keenly when he left them, but, now they are back together their bond is already increasing again. Wounds are being fixed.

Soft bangs, and scratches can be heard from the world outside. The sounds of battle. All strain to hear just what is going on, if there is a battle, then the target cannot possibly be Megatron's remains. He is offline after all and not going to put up much of a fight. Unless there are other 'Cons guarding him, then it is likely that their new cell mate is someone else entirely.

Skywarp lets out a soft groan and hangs his head; "Oh no, please don't let it be…" the sounds of metal scraping signals one of the doors to the ship opening up nearby and Skywarp closes his vents slightly in suspense "An autobot." He finishes.

A few minutes later, the screeching metallic roar that grows steadily louder can only be because Lockdown is dragging another Cybertonian to their section of the prison…but which one?!


End file.
